BEIRUT, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian family of five members died on dawn Monday when a fire broke out in their home while they were still sleeping, the LBCI TV reported.

According to the TV report, an electric shortcut caused the fire that broke out in the house of A. D in the Imam Mahdi neighborhood in the southern city of Nabatieh.

The fire led to the death of A.D, his wife M.H and his three daughters, Yasmine (16), Sabrine (8) and 8-month-old infant Nadine, who all suffocated from the smoke of the fire.

The Civil Defense Directorate rushed its vehicles to the neighborhood and managed to put off the fire and removed the bodies to a nearby hospital.